nicholls



W. H. NlCHOLLS.

MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLlculoN man nic. 15, 1919.

1,367,079. Patented Feb. 1,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

D 1 Illl'l-Illllm 'l IN V EN TOR.

W. H. NlCHjOLLS.

MOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED Dsc. l5', |919.

1,367,079. 1 Patented 1191111921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- "llllllllllll A TTORNEYS.

WILLIAM H. NICHOLLS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MOLDING-MACI-IINE.

1,367,079. Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Application filed December 15, 1919. Serial No. 344,880.

To all whom it may concern. i

Be it known that l, WILLIAM Ztl. NrorroLLs, a citizen ot the -Unite-fl States, and resident ot the borough ot' Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, city and State oic New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Moldingdilachines, otwhich the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus tor forming molds and has for its general object theprovision of means '.tor jolting or jarring the sand in a flask, squeezing or compressing the sand about the pattern and then drawing the pattern from the mold by means of a reciprocable pressing vhead or plunger'.

.Another important object of the invention is to provide a molding machine with a reciprocable flask supporting and jolting member andY a reciprocable pressing head adapted to be swung into and out of the path ot the Sask supporting member, electro-magnetic pattern drawing means being carried by said pressing head and adapted to engage .the pattern' plate during the pressing operation, and to draw the pattern plate andpatterns from the mold as the pressing head is moved upwardly away from Y the flask.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for vertically guiding the flask supporting and jolting member, and additional means for guidingthe pressing head, whereby said members will move toward and away from each other in direct vertical lines and without rotation. The result ot this arrangement is that the patterns will be forced into the molding sand and withdrawn there- .from along the same vertical lines, and all tendency to break the mold during the pattern withdrawing operation is avoided..

There are other important objects and advantages of the invention which will appear hereinaften v F ig. 4 a similar view showing the pattern plate and patterns attached to the electromagnetic device and withdrawn from the iask;

Fig. 5 adetail sectional view of the valve for controlling the movements of the pressing head; Y

Fig. 6 a detail view of the valve and valve seat shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 a detail vertical sectional view of the cylinder and piston ot the pressing head. Referring to the various parts by numerals, 1 designates the base ot the machine which is formed with a central vertical cylinder 2 open at the top ot the base, the lower end of said cylinder being closed and connected by pipe 3 with a main air supply pipe 4. A. valve 5 controls admission ot air to the lower end of the cylinder 2. The cylinder 2 is provided with an exhaust port 6 slightly above the lower end thereof and `through which air may escape to atmosphere through the base of the machine. ln the cylinder 2 is fitted a vertically reciprocable piston 7 which is formed at its lower end with a chamberV 8 said chamber being open at its lower end and in free communication with the interior of the cylinder 2. The lower end ot this piston is provided with a piston ring of any suitable form and normally extends below the port (3.L T he piston 7 depends centrally from a large horizontal head 9 which is adapted to rest on the upper end ot the base. The head Slis a support for a mold flask, and constitutes a ,iolting and supporting member. This jolting member is guided in its vertical movements by a depending pin 10 carried by said head and extending downwardly through an opening in the top oi' the base. "A head 11 is formed on the lower end of this pin to limit the upward movement of the jolting member. The pin 10 nts snugly within the opening of the base and serves as a means to Iguide the jolting memberin a true vertical line and prevents rotation thereof.

The base ot the vmachine is provided with horizontal brackets 12 and 13 which extend laterally .in opposite directions, as shown clearly inrFig. 1. The bracket 12 carries an upwardly extending vertical post 14 on the upperV end of which is mounted a horizontally swinging arm 15 said arm being suitably supported on the post between collars 16, a nut being Screwed on the upper Vend of the post to hold g isernia the upper collar 16 in vplace against the upper end ot the swinging arm. rthe arm 15 carries a vertically arranged cylinder 17 which is closed at its upper and lower ends by suitable heads 18 and 19, the lower head 18 carrying;- a stuliing` box 20. Mounted in the cylinder 1? is a piston 21 which carries a piston rod 9x2. This piston rod ei;k tends downwardly through the stalling; boi; 20 and has threaded on its lower end a pressing; head Q3 said head being vertically adjustable on the piston rod by means of its threaded connection. A screw 2d serves to leak the pressing head to the piston rod and to hold it against accidental rotation. Secured to the lower side of the pressing` head is an electro-maanetic cliucl: 25 said chuck forming the lower part of the pressing,` head, its lower surface being adapted to contact with the pattern plate. as will be more fully hereinafter described. rthe electro-magnetic chuck may be of any suitable form. As shown said chuck comprises a bor-like cast-iron casing,` 26 in which a plurality et electro-magnets 27 are mounted. A plurality of sott steel pole pie 28 ei;- tend through the under side ot the casing` and are insulated therefrom by sleeves 29 el' non-magnetic metal. The lower ends et the pole pieces are flush with the under surface oit the chuck and their upper ends engage the ends of the magnetic cores, or they may be extensions ot the magnetic cores, as may be desired. Electric current is supplied to the magnetic coils through suitable wires incased in a cable 30 whirh lead into the casing; 2G at any suitable point, the ends o'i said wires being connected to a suitable attaching plug 31 adapted to be engaged in a con veniently located socket. lt is ot course obvious that the electric circuit wires may be connected to the magnets of the electro-map;- netic chuck in any suitable way. The pressing; head 23 withV its chuck 25 constitutes, tor all practical p rposes, a squeerfr'ngl elei ent7 the face et the chuck beine` the lower face ot the squeezing element.

Mounted on the swinging arm v15 is a valve casing; 32 in which is arranged a rotary Valve 33. Valve Operating rod 34; `is mounted in the valve casina` and is provided with a depending; handle rl`he inner end of this Valve operating; rod is prov1vided with oppositely extending' arms 3G which are adapted to engage lugs 87 on the valve so that by rotating` the operating; rod in either direction the valve will be correspondingly moved. A spring holds the Valve to its seat. An air supply pipe 39 is connected to the upper end of the cylinder 1'?, and an air supply pipe 4l() is connected to the lower end of the cylinder, as clearly indicated in Figi. 1. These supply pipes are connected to the valve casing, as shown -clearlyin Fig. 6. A pipe la connects the main air supply pipe l with the valve casing at a point between the pipe 39 Vand flO. 'the 'if'alve casing is provided with two ei;- liaust ports 111 controlled by valves a2. rlhe rotary Valve is termed with two ffroores and dt which are adapted, upon the rotation of the valve, to place the supply pipe in communication with pipes 39 and 0; and to place said pipes l0 into communication with the exhaust ports Ll1 depending upon the position o1 the valve. As shown in 6 the supply pipe is in communication with pipe i0 and pipe is in communication with its exhaust port ll. By manipulatine` the valve it is manifest that the squeezing or in'eesing` piston 21 may be moved up or down in its cylinder for the squeezing or the pattern withdrawing operations.

The outer end of the swinging` arm 15 is pro fided with dependinorigid rod '-l the lower part ol which is adapted to engage in a recess or slot et; formed in the outer end oit the arm 13 ot the base. @n the lower end et this rod is threaded a nut/si?` which is adapted to engage the under side et the arm 13 to accurately center the pressingl head over the jolting' member. Said nut also rigdly loess the swinging arm 15 to the base and resists the upward thrust brought thereon through the operation of the pressing head.

lt is desirable to provide means adapted to be operated by a movable part of the machine 'for automatically making' and breakinaj the circuit through the coils on the magnets oit the chuclr at the proper times during; the operation of the marhine in termine,V a mold. ller this purpose a circuit-makingand-brealrino device or switch is interposed in the cirruit wires between the plug; 31 and the pressing head. This circuit-makingand-brea Kinn; device comprises a box or casing d8 in which is mounted a stationary terminal or contact i9 and a movable re silicnt terminal or Contact 50 to each of which contacts one end of one of the circuit wires is connected, as indicated at 51 in Fig. 2, The resilient contact 50 is normally out engagement with the contact iit/and is adapted to be 'forced into engagement with the said contact i9 by a liber pin or actuating device 5.9;. The pin 52 slides in an aperture in the arm 13 and is normally pro iected into the slot el@ by the resilient 'contact 50. .lhe outer end ot this pin 52 is adapted to be engaged by the rod 45 when said rod is swunga into the slot 4:6 and thereby to be forced outwardly to bring the contact 50 into engagement with the Contact Lit). rlhis completes the circuit through the coils of the magnets so that said magnets will be energized when the pressing or squeezing` element is swung' over and is directly in alinement with the 'dash support or jolting member..

The mold frame 53 may be of any suitable construction. As shown it comprises one section of the well-known interchangeable cope and drag divided metallic flask having the usual lateral projections or handles 5st each ci which is provided with rigid upwardly extending pins 55. The usual bottom board 56 lits within the lower end of the mold trame The pattern plate shown is oi' special construction but it will be obvious that various forms oit pattern plates may be employed, it being essential only that the pattern plate be formed wholly or in part of i'nagnetizable metal or that the pattern plate have secured thereto a magnetizable portion adapted to be engaged by the magnetic drawing means. As shown vthe pattern plate comprises a `lower plate 5'? formed or' aluminum or other non-magnetizable metal and an upper plate 58 of sott steel or other .magnetizable metal rigidly secured to plate 57. The plate 57 is formed with the usual handle portions 59 each of which is provided with the usual pair of apertures to receive the pins 55 carried by the handles 54.' vThe pattern or patterns 60 are secured in the usual or any suitable manner to the under. side of the pattern plate.

o form a mold the flask and pattern are placed on the head 9 the flash is then tilled with sand'. rlfhe valve 5 is then opened to permit air to low into the `chamber 8 oi the Vjolting piston. The piston 7, and of course the attached head 9.I will be elevated slightly until the exhaust port 6 4is uncovered, whereupon the piston and head will drop, this operation being repeated in rapid succession as long as the valve 5 remains open. The sand in the mold frame is thus jarrcd or jolted and evenly distributed and compacted. The surplus sand is then struck ofi" level with the top of the laslr and board 56 put in place at the top of the flash. The flask with the board 56 therein is then inverted or rolled over and placed upon the head 9 with the bottom board 56 resting upon the head and the pattern plate resting on the upper end of the flask, as shown in Fig. l. The arm l5 is then swung horizontally until the rod 45 engages in slot 46 ofthe bracket i3. This movement of the arm l5 carries the pressing head 23 directly over the iolting and supporting head 9 and automatically closes the circuit through the cores of the magnets 27 through the operation of the switch pin 52. VThe valve operating handle 25 is then operated toward the left hand, as viewed in Fig. l, to con-A neet the air supply to pipe 39. This deliv` ers air to the top ot' piston 2l and forces the pressing head downwardly to cause it to enthe pattern plate and force the flask down over the bottom boa rd and firmly pack or ram the sand about the patterns. The

- valve handle 35, after the pressing or squeezing operation, will be turned back to its Yvertical position, as shown in Fig. l, thereby connecting the air supply to pipe 40, and pipe 39 to atmosphere through its connected exhaust port. The piston 2l will be thereby forced upwardly, withdrawing the pressing head from the flash. The pattern plate will be held to the under suriace of the ch ck by the electro-magnetic device and the patterns will be drawn upwardly from the mold. The operator will then remove the laslr from the head 9, and after said removal will grasp the pattern plate by the handles 59 and push the same laterally or rearwardly to carry the pressing head out or" alinei'nent with the jolting member, the arm l5 swinging rearwardly. This movement of the arm l5 carries the rod d5 out of the slot Li6 and automatically breaks the circuity through the magnetic holding means.

therewith. By providing means for accu- 'ately guiding the pressing head in its verticalmovement, and thereby preventing any rotation of the pressing head said head will move in a direct vertical line and there will be no tendency to shift or twist the pattern in a mold during the operation of withdrawing them. This also insures that the patterns will be forced into the mold and withdrawn therefrom on the same vertical lines thereby preventing any tendency to disrupt the molds by any tilting or twisting of the patterns.

lVhat I claim is:

l. In a molding' apparatus, the combination ot a vertically reciprocable mold frame support, means for reciprocating said support rapidly for iolting the sand 1n the mold frame, a vertically reciprocable squeezing and pattern-drawing pressing head, a support for said head. means for reciprocating said head in one direction to press the pattern into the mold and for moving said head in the opposite direction to withdraw the pattern from the mold, and magnetic means carried by the pressing head for holding a pattern to said head when it is moved away from the mold frame. Y

2. In a molding apparatus, the combination of a mold frame support, means for reciprocating said support rapidly for jolting the sand in the mold frame, a vertically reciprocable squeezing and pattern-drawing pressing head, a laterally shiftable support for said head, means for moving said head in one direction to press the pattern into the mold and for moving said head in the opposite direction to Withdraw the pattern from the mold, magnetic means carried by the pressing head for holding a pattern to said head, and meansA for automatically magnetizing and cle-magnetizing said magnetic means when the pressing head is moved respectively into and out of register with the mold frame support.

3. In a molding apparatus, the combination of a mold frame support, a vertically reciprocable squeezing and pattern-drawing pressing head, means to hold said head against rotation, means for moving said Vhead in 'one direction to press the pattern into the mold and tor moving said head in the opposite direction to withdraw the pattern trom the mold, and magnetic means carried by the pressing head for holding a patmerma magnetic means carried by the pressing head for holding a pattern to said head when it is moved away from the mold frame.

5. In a molding apparatus, the combination of a mold frame support, means for reciprocating said support rapidly for jolting the sand in the mold iframe, means for preventing the rotation 0i said support, a vertically reciprocable squeezing and patterndrawing aressing head, a laterally shittable support 'or said head, means or moving said head in one direction to press the pattern into the mold and 'for moving said head in the opposite direction to withdraw the pattern :trom the mold, means to prevent the rotation oi' said head, magnetic means carried by the pressing head :tor holding a pattern to said head, and means Jr'or automatically magnetizing and demagnetizing said magnetic means when the pressing head is moved respectively into and out ot register with the mold `traine support.

6. ln a molding apparatus, the combina-- tion of a mold frame support, a verticaliy reciprocable squeezing and pattern-drawing pressing head, means for moving said head in one direction to press the pattern into the mold and for moving said head in the opposite direction to withdraw the pattern -from the mold, and magnetic means carried by the pressing head for holding a pattern to said head when it is moved away from the mold frame.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

WILLIAM H. NICHOLLS. 

